Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Kurds, Palestinians . . .

Let me say this clearly: there is no doubt that Palestinians
suffer from ongoing and seemingly unstoppable Israeli seizure of West Bank
lands. There is no Peace Process and none in sight. (If you want to see how
Israeli expansionism into the West Bank is now an awful norm, see Jane Eisner's
superb reporting:

But Palestinians also suffer from something for which Israel
is not responsible, namely their own inept, corrupt, fanatic leadership
(sometimes all three at once.)

In the piece I'm posting,Jeffrey (not to be confused with Jonah, a right wing
ideologue) Goldberg compares Palestinians to the Kurds, who were likewise
disenfranchised but who have made solid gains.

Goldberg asks why Kurds could get there, Palestinians
not.

I think Goldberg fails to take some key things into account:
For instance, the Kurds have oil.Palestinians don't. Also that the American invasion of Iraq,
catastrophic as it was in the end for other Iraqis, and for the region as a
whole, was a blessing in disguise for the Kurds, who were able, with Saddam
gone, to further their claims to nationhood.

Still, what Goldberg says about Kurdish leadership as
opposed to that of Palestinians, is worth considering: